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REVERSING THE BRAIN DRAIN: AGBU HELPS COVER TUITION FEES FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN STUDENTS IN ARMENIA
SOCIETY | 30.10.14 | 10:50
http://armenianow.com/society/58074/armenia_agbu_syrian_armenians_education_students_t uition_fees
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
It is already the second year that a helping hand will be extended
to Syrian Armenian students who fled their country because of the
conflict and found refuge in Armenia.
As the number of Syrian Armenian students arriving in Armenia
continues to grow, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is
taking measures to ensure that their education does not suffer as a
result of their displacement.
Still in October 2013, Armenia's Ministries of Diaspora and of
Education and Science, AGBU and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
implemented a program to cover tuition fees for Syrian-Armenian
undergraduate and graduate university students studying in Armenia
in the 2013-14 academic year. A total of 380 Syrian Armenians became
beneficiaries of the program.
Given the successful experience of last year, this year it was decided
to continue assistance to Syrian Armenian students.
AGBU Armenia's interim director Hovig Eordekian sees this program
as an essential step in reversing the brain drain that continues
to afflict Armenia. He told ArmeniaNow that in 2013 AGBU allocated
more than 52.6 million AMD (about $130,000) for the program, and the
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation provided the same amount of money. The
Government of Armenia, along with reduced tuitions for Syrian Armenian
students, contributed 15.4 million AMD (about $38,000) to the program.
"Taking into consideration the vitality and urgency of the matter,
the increasing number of Syrian Armenian students in Armenia, the
parties have committed to continue the program at any expense," said
Eordekian, adding that AGBU and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
made a decision to continue the program in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016,
allocating $130,000 for each academic year.
Diaspora Ministry chief of staff Firdus Zakaryan told ArmeniaNow that
after the start of the war in Syria, some 11,000 Syrian Armenians came
to Armenia. Of them, 500 are students. Even though programs have been
implemented for the integration of Syrian Armenians, in many cases they
find life difficult in Armenia. According to the Ministry official,
the program covering tuition fees for Syrian Armenian students may
be a great help in this sense.
There are 16 public and 35 private universities in Armenia. A number of
universities operate in Armenia under interstate agreements. Annual
tuition fees fluctuate between 200,000 and 800,000 AMD (about
$500-$2,000).
According to Eordekian, given the increasing number of Syrian
Armenian students in Armenia, for the attraction of as many students
as possible, the parties have now agreed to give preference to
undergraduates, who now make up the majority of university applicants.
However, in order to allow as many Syrian Armenian students as possible
to continue their education in Armenia within the budget allocated,
the parties are currently discussing the possibility of covering the
tuition of graduate students who meet certain criteria.
From: A. Papazian
SOCIETY | 30.10.14 | 10:50
http://armenianow.com/society/58074/armenia_agbu_syrian_armenians_education_students_t uition_fees
GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
It is already the second year that a helping hand will be extended
to Syrian Armenian students who fled their country because of the
conflict and found refuge in Armenia.
As the number of Syrian Armenian students arriving in Armenia
continues to grow, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is
taking measures to ensure that their education does not suffer as a
result of their displacement.
Still in October 2013, Armenia's Ministries of Diaspora and of
Education and Science, AGBU and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
implemented a program to cover tuition fees for Syrian-Armenian
undergraduate and graduate university students studying in Armenia
in the 2013-14 academic year. A total of 380 Syrian Armenians became
beneficiaries of the program.
Given the successful experience of last year, this year it was decided
to continue assistance to Syrian Armenian students.
AGBU Armenia's interim director Hovig Eordekian sees this program
as an essential step in reversing the brain drain that continues
to afflict Armenia. He told ArmeniaNow that in 2013 AGBU allocated
more than 52.6 million AMD (about $130,000) for the program, and the
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation provided the same amount of money. The
Government of Armenia, along with reduced tuitions for Syrian Armenian
students, contributed 15.4 million AMD (about $38,000) to the program.
"Taking into consideration the vitality and urgency of the matter,
the increasing number of Syrian Armenian students in Armenia, the
parties have committed to continue the program at any expense," said
Eordekian, adding that AGBU and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
made a decision to continue the program in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016,
allocating $130,000 for each academic year.
Diaspora Ministry chief of staff Firdus Zakaryan told ArmeniaNow that
after the start of the war in Syria, some 11,000 Syrian Armenians came
to Armenia. Of them, 500 are students. Even though programs have been
implemented for the integration of Syrian Armenians, in many cases they
find life difficult in Armenia. According to the Ministry official,
the program covering tuition fees for Syrian Armenian students may
be a great help in this sense.
There are 16 public and 35 private universities in Armenia. A number of
universities operate in Armenia under interstate agreements. Annual
tuition fees fluctuate between 200,000 and 800,000 AMD (about
$500-$2,000).
According to Eordekian, given the increasing number of Syrian
Armenian students in Armenia, for the attraction of as many students
as possible, the parties have now agreed to give preference to
undergraduates, who now make up the majority of university applicants.
However, in order to allow as many Syrian Armenian students as possible
to continue their education in Armenia within the budget allocated,
the parties are currently discussing the possibility of covering the
tuition of graduate students who meet certain criteria.
From: A. Papazian